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Posted

Finally got around to aggregating this

b7a6c07291202270c21182400bcb0753.jpg

Into this

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(Although technically, it's more like this)

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Progress?

I think so, the aim is to eliminate the "pre flight checklist" for Joanne.

  • Like 3
Posted

Condos can have really miserable rules. Enforced by devilish "condo commandos".

Make sure there is no hidden "rec lease" - that was scam in FL for years. Residents

would have to buy out the recreation facilities from the builder. Could be assessments

too, anything from bad roofs, to collapsing balconies.  And never pay for pre-construction

price. Don't buy into "Phase 4" which is not built yet.  :(

Posted (edited)

Thanks Bonnie.  I will definitely pay attention to all the miserable condo rules.  I am wary of everything and tend to read all the small print so hopefully I should be ok.  Townhomes are sounding better everyday.  

 

I guess I could always stay where I am - I do like the house.  I would just have to put a ton of money into the house at some point and pay a lot of property taxes every year (and deal with having a yard and basically no garage...).  I also have to decide if this is the best place for me to stay in order for me to move on with my life. 

Edited by shellylh
Posted

I do not have a whole lot of advice to offer, but I can tell you that when it comes to real estate, figure out exactly what you want beforehand, look constantly, but be patient.  Regrets in this area really suck hard.

 

I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Nothing will ever match a check list completely so you'll always be disappointed, and no list is ever complete. Too much choice will drive you crazy. Our house is as unlike what we were looking for as can be, and we love it more everyday. Buy the place you walk into and just have to live in.

  • Like 1
Posted

I agree that I probably won't ever get the place I absolutely want without building it myself (even then I won't be able to think of everything).  I think actually going and looking at places will help.   I was hoping to get something around 1800 square feet but I may just have to live with something bigger than that.  

Posted (edited)

I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Nothing will ever match a check list completely so you'll always be disappointed, and no list is ever complete. Too much choice will drive you crazy. Our house is as unlike what we were looking for as can be, and we love it more everyday. Buy the place you walk into and just have to live in.

 

I might be a bit biased, because I was in a different situation.  We had to have a house with 5 rooms due to a large family but still within our budget.  In So Cal, that is considerably narrowing the choices, so my wife and I watched the MLS like hawks.  We pounced on anything that fit our needs and finally got the one we have.  It is perfect, but there was luck involved no doubt.  We were not willing to settle though.  This was in late 2011 with that perfect storm of lower housing values and low interest rates.  Now, prices are fucking insane again.

 

In Shelly's case, there is much more room to "fall in love" as you point out.  Point taken.

Edited by roadtonowhere08
Posted (edited)

In fact, I have the opposite problem that I want something smaller and it is difficult to find anything less than 2500 square feet.  I did find a few hirise condos that ticked all the boxes, were gorgeous, and were under 2000 square feet.  Unfortunately, they are all over 1 million (and have huge maintenance fees per month) so that probably won't work out.  

Edited by shellylh
Posted

Point taken.

 

Yours as well as our situation was wide open with no kids, and property values are such in Hartford that we can afford something here that we could not even dream about in most other places. But I do think that details can often be changed to meet specific needs while the soul of a house is what it is.

Posted

Relatedly, I remember a previous financial director who had the words of wisdom, buy a home for the things you can't change (about it) rather than the things you can. He seemed happy in his 16th century half timbered cottage.

Posted

Offer accepted :jbl: :jbl:

Home inspection revealed more issues than it's worth to us :sadcat: Better to have found them now rather than later but I have a :sadcat:

 

So the hunt continues I guess.

  • Like 1
Posted

I had to go back down to Boston today to observe some final systems tests at the Constitution's dry dock.  On the good news front, the dock is still dry.  Bad news, the system in question failed its preliminary test before I even got there.  But, not one to let a good opportunity to go waste, I took a quick walk around and tested the camera on the iPhone 6.  It'll do.  

 

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Sounds like I'll be back down there Monday to see if we can achieve "all systems go" status and I'll try to remember the D7000 w/ a wide angle lens. :)

  • Like 7
Posted

Home inspection revealed more issues than it's worth to us  :sadcat: Better to have found them now rather than later but I have a :sadcat:

 

So the hunt continues I guess.

 

As much of a downer as that must have been initially, it really is a blessing in disguise.  The inspection is an overview and points out the obvious things (and not so obvious for the average Joe), but there is a lot of the tiny stuff they either do not see or cannot see that can lead to a pain in the ass later.  If it is stuff from original construction that fails inspection, the mantra "where there's smoke, there's fire" applies, since it usually is corner cutting or age that gets you.  If it is secondary construction, it could be "holy shit" time or something minor and more easily correctable.  YMMV, but that's my general rule.

 

 

Got 50 staples removed and replaced with horrid smelling adhesive and what looks like tape. OK.

 

Good news!  The staples must have been fun.  Feel better soon.

  • Like 1

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